Stalemate on fuel prices: The government and the president are blocking their draft bills

As RMF FM journalist Tomasz Skory explains, keeping the government and the president in check is simple.

The government, which has already passed the act on taxation of extraordinary profits of fuel companies in the Sejm for the second time, will again be blocked by the lack of the president's signature. His office's officials clearly, although unofficially, say that if such a bill is passed there without any changes, it will be sent back to the Tribunal - just like its predecessor. Therefore, it will not enter into force.

In turn, the president's bill submitted to the Sejm has not only been sent back to the legislative and expert offices, but also unofficially and clearly, politicians of the ruling majority announce that there is no way it will be considered quickly.

The Sejm can drag out the matter by multiplying doubts, sending questions to the president, then send the project for a month for public consultations, and its support by the coalition, to be honest, is out of the question at all.

As a result, with two projects aimed at reducing fuel prices, we will not see the reduction itself - concludes our journalist.

What does the government and what does the president propose?

The government proposes a tax on extraordinary profits of companies producing and importing fuels; the proceeds from this levy would finance another "Fuel Prices Lower" program, including, among others, VAT and excise duty reductions and maximum prices at stations.